Caleb Williams is accomplishing something the NFL is not used to seeing from a quarterback so young. He already holds the NFL record for the fewest interceptions by a quarterback in his first 1,000 passes with 12. His 3.8-to-1 touchdown-to-interception ratio is also the second-best among quarterbacks in NFL history with at least 30 starts, trailing only Aaron Rodgers. While his overall efficiency still needs work, nobody can argue that he is the best young quarterback in the NFL at protecting the football.
Williams was asked about this achievement during his latest press conference. Ever the cheeky one, he says he borrowed some advice from Los Angeles Rams star Matthew Stafford.
Stafford is renowned for having one of the strongest arms in the NFL for the past 15 years. He's put that title to the test many times by throwing into tight coverages. Sometimes he'd deliver incredible highlights, and others he'd pay the price with an interception. What he says was primarily meant as a joke, but it came from a kernel of truth. One of the most popular sayings among football people is that defensive backs only play defensive back because they can't catch. If they could catch, they'd be wide receivers.
Caleb Williams' secret goes beyond just throwing the ball hard.
Jay Cutler had a cannon, too, and he threw a ton of interceptions. Brett Favre had arguably the strongest arm in NFL history and leads the league in career interceptions. It isn't just about how hard you can throw. It is about where you put the football. Williams goes out of his way to make sure he throws the ball in areas where only his receivers have a realistic shot at it. While this does a great job of keeping his interceptions low, it also has contributed to his league-low completion percentage. So there are some drawbacks.
There is no question that Caleb Williams is correct in his statement. If you throw passes hard enough, it becomes more difficult for defensive backs to catch them, since that was never their strength in football. However, there are other factors in play. Williams makes good decisions and places the ball well. Trusting his arm strength alone would be reckless. Stafford learned that the hard way in Detroit during his early years. Thankfully, Williams has done his homework.
